- This event will provide a space for discussion of proposals and the promotion of measures aimed at enhancing the ecological transition
- Manuel Maqueda, Leen Gorissen and Christian Felber will lead three of the Forum’s plenary sessions.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, on Tuesday 20 December 2022-. The circular and blue economy; energy, water and mobility; climate change adaptation ; and regenerative tourism are the four main areas that will be discussed in the first International Ecoislands Forum, which will take place on 2nd and 3rd February 2023 at Infecar.
Promoted and funded by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria and organised by Infecar, Ecoislas aims to create a space for discussion, proposals and the promotion of measures to drive a comprehensive transition to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly socio-economic model; one that is also more profitable, more self-sufficient and with a specific focus on islands.
The energy crisis is damaging the global economy, the impacts of the health pandemic are still present and the climate crisis continues to threaten our present and our future. In these times of uncertainty, the International Ecoislands Forum will offer a unique experience, where attendees will have the opportunity to learn from world-leading experts from diverse backgrounds about the latest projects being implemented on islands across the globe.
Thus, the event will feature international, national, and local speakers who will present best practices and discuss the needs and solutions in each of the four main areas that structure the programme.
In particular, the International Ecoislands Forum will feature three renowned specialists who will lead the plenary sessions: Manuel Maqueda, who teaches Applied Circular and Regenerative Economics at Harvard University, and is the CEO of SUPER (Single-Use Plastics Elimination or Reduction); Leen Gorissen, PhD in Biology, specialising in Ecology, Transition Science, Regenerative Design and Bio-inspired Innovation, and founder of Centre4NI (formerly known as Studio Transitio), a catalyst that helps organisations and companies innovate like nature; and, finally, Christian Felber, proponent of the Economy for the Common Good theory, who has taught at various universities including the University of Economics and Business in Vienna, the University of Graz, the University of Klagenfurt, the University of Applied Art in Vienna or Schumacher College (UK).
In addition, renowned speakers from Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, and the Balearic Islands, as well as top local speakers, will be joining the programme, which will be finalised in the coming days.
The International Ecoislas Forum is designed for individuals interested in understanding the challenge of green employment as a means to reduce unemployment levels; accessing specific information related to the four main themes; establishing collaborations between public, private, and scientific institutions to promote innovative measures in the face of climate change; and learning about policies aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change.
Programme
Although the roster of international, national, and local speakers and experts for this first International Ecoislas Forum is still being finalised, the event programme is already taking shape, comprising two distinct areas: plenary sessions, with three confirmed experts, and parallel sessions.
On the morning of Thursday, 2nd February, a main plenary session will take place, accompanied by four parallel sessions dedicated to ‘Energy Communities on Islands’; ‘The Role of Regenerative Tourism in the Context of Islands’; ‘Algae Cultivation as an Emerging Sector on Islands’; and ‘Energy Transition Agendas on Islands’.
The afternoon session will include a new plenary session, led by Manuel Maqueda, and two spaces for parallel sessions. The first block will focus on ‘Sustainable Mobility on Islands’; ‘Best Practices in Circular Economy on Islands’; and ‘Renaturalisation of Urban Spaces’. The second block will cover ‘Storage and Green Hydrogen: A Solution for Transitioning to Decarbonisation’; ‘Present and Future Implications of Sustainability on Islands’; and ‘Climate Change and Ethical Challenges’.
On Friday 3 February, the morning will feature two plenary sessions led by Leen Gorissen and Christian Felber, respectively, along with two spaces where parallel sessions will take place.
In these parallel sessions, some of the topics will be: ‘How Will Islands Save the Planet?’; ‘Renewables and Energy Efficiency in Establishments’; ‘Entrepreneurship Initiatives in Circular Economy’; and ‘Smart Technologies for Fire Prevention and Forest Management’. The second set will delve into ‘Climate Neutrality in the Context of Islands: The Path Ahead’; ‘The Role of the Water-Energy Nexus as a Key to the Future’; ‘Barriers to Entrepreneurship in Blue and Circular Economy’; and ‘Vulnerabilities of Coastal Areas’.
Greening The Islands
This 1st International Ecoislas Forum will also host the Greening The Islands awards ceremony in a parallel event where some of its studies will also be presented. Greening the Islands is an innovative start-up committed to building a network to support self-sufficiency, sustainability, resilience and improved livelihoods on islands and in remote locations.